Garden seeder

Abstract

A garden seeder having a seed hopper atop an elongated barrel, a seed dispenser for dispensing a metered volume of seeds from the hopper into the barrel, a resting plate secured transversely to the bottom of the barrel for resting placement upon the ground, and a seed dispensing foot below the resting plate. The resting plate includes a hoe blade portion extending outwardly from the barrel. Seeds pass down the barrel from the seed dispenser, out the dispensing foot, and into the ground. A measurement arm may extend outwardly from the lower end of the barrel to space newly-planted seeds from previously-planted hills. The seed dispenser includes a sliding plate having interchangeable metering insert plugs that are removably inserted into a seed metering hole in the sliding plate, so as to define a selectable metered volume of seeds to be dispensed with each operation of the seed dispenser.

We claim: 
     
       1. A garden seeder, said garden seeder comprising: (a) an elongated barrel having an upper end and a lower end, said barrel having an internal bore therethrough extending to said lower end of said barrel;   (b) a seed hopper for holding a quantity of seeds, said seed hopper having an interior;   (c) seed dispensing means, interposed between the interior of said seed hopper and said bore, for dispensing a metered volume of seeds from the interior of said hopper into said bore, said seed dispensing means comprising: i. an upper blocking plate spanning said bore, said upper blocking plate having a seed collection hole therethrough for passage of seeds therethrough from the interior of said hopper;   ii. a lower blocking plate spanning said bore, said lower blocking plate having a seed dispensing hole therethrough for passage of seeds therethrough and into said bore, said seed dispensing hole being horizontally offset from said seed collection hole and in complete vertical non-alignment therewith;   iii. a sliding plate sandwiched between said upper blocking plate and said lower blocking plate and secured for slidable movement therebetween, said sliding plate having a seed metering hole therethrough with said seed metering hole having an upper end and having a lower end, with said sliding plate being slidable between: A. a first position, in which said upper end of said seed metering hole is in substantial alignment with said seed collection hole and said lower end of said seed metering hole is blocked by said lower blocking plate, thereby allowing said metered volume of seeds to accumulate within said seed metering hole; and   B. a second position, in which said upper end of said seed metering hole is blocked by said upper blocking plate and said lower end of said seed metering hole is in substantial alignment with said seed dispensing hole, thereby allowing said metered volume of seeds to fall downwardly through said seed dispensing hole into said bore and toward said lower end of said barrel; and     iv. a metering insert removably and closely received within said seed metering hole, said metering insert having a longitudinal hole therethrough and defining said metered volume;     (d) a resting plate, secured substantially transversely to said lower end of said barrel, for abutting placement upon the ground, said resting plate having an opening therethrough in alignment with said bore; and   (e) a dispensing foot secured to said resting plate on the underside thereof, said dispensing foot having a chamber therewithin in communication with said bore through said opening, and said dispensing foot having an egress hole therethrough in communication with said chamber within said dispensing foot.   
     
     
       2. The garden seeder as recited in claim 1, in which said dispensing foot includes an upright sidewall substantially perpendicular to said resting plate, with said egress hole being through said upright sidewall, and further in which said dispensing foot includes an angled bottom plate having a first end attached to said upright sidewall remote from said resting plate and said angled bottom plate having a second end attached to said resting plate. 
     
     
       3. The garden seeder as recited in claim 2, in which said resting plate includes a hoe blade portion extending outwardly from said barrel. 
     
     
       4. A garden seeder, said garden seeder comprising: (a) an elongated barrel having an upper end and a lower end, said barrel having an internal bore therethrough extending to said lower end of said barrel;   (b) a seed hopper for holding a quantity of seeds, said seed hopper having an interior;   (c) seed dispensing means, interposed between the interior of said seed hopper and said bore, for dispensing a metered volume of seeds from the interior of said hopper into said bore, said seed dispensing means comprising: i. an upper blocking plate spanning said bore, said upper blocking plate having a seed collection hole therethrough for passage of seeds therethrough from the interior of said hopper;   ii. a lower blocking plate spanning said bore, said lower blocking plate having a seed dispensing hole therethrough for passage of seeds there through and into said bore, said seed dispensing hole being horizontally offset from said seed collection hole and in complete vertical non-alignment therewith;   iii. a sliding plate sandwiched between said upper blocking plate and said lower blocking plate and secured for slidable movement therebetween, said sliding plate having a seed metering hole therethrough with said seed metering hole having an upper end and having a lower end, with said sliding plate being slidable between: A. a first position, in which said upper end of said seed metering hole is in substantial alignment with said seed collection hole and said lower end of said seed metering hole is blocked by said lower blocking plate, thereby allowing said metered volume of seeds to accumulate within said seed metering hole; and   B. a second position, in which said upper end of said seed metering hole is blocked by said upper blocking plate and said lower end of said seed metering hole is in substantial alignment with said seed dispensing hole, thereby allowing said metered volume of seeds to fall downwardly through said seed dispensing hole into said bore and toward said lower end of said barrel; and     iv. a metering insert removably and closely received within said seed metering hole, said metering insert having a longitudinal hole therethrough and defining said metered volume;     (d) a resting plate, secured substantially transversely to said lower end of said barrel, for abutting placement upon the ground, said resting plate having an opening therethrough in alignment with said bore, said resting plate including a hoe blade portion extending outwardly from said barrel;   (e) a dispensing foot secured to said resting plate on the underside thereof, said dispensing foot having a chamber therewithin in communication with said bore through said opening, and said dispensing foot having an egress hole therethrough in communication with said chamber within said dispensing foot;   (f) measurement means for spacing the lower end of said barrel a predetermined distance from a previously-planted hill of seeds, said measurement means comprising: i. an arm extending outwardly from said lower end of said barrel, said arm having a distal end remote from said barrel; and   ii. adjustable mounting means for adjustably mounting said arm to said barrel so that said distal end extends said predetermined distance from said barrel.     
     
     
       5. The garden seeder as recited in claim 4, in which said dispensing foot includes an upright sidewall substantially perpendicular to said resting plate, with said egress hole being through said upright sidewall, and further in which said dispensing foot includes an angled bottom plate having a first end attached to said upright sidewall remote from said resting plate and said angled bottom plate having a second end attached to said resting plate. 
     
     
       6. The garden seeder as recited in claim 4, in which said seed dispensing means additionally comprises: (a) a lever arm pivotally attached to said barrel at a fulcrum for pivotal movement thereabout, said lever arm being attached at a first end to said sliding plate for movement of said sliding plate as said lever arm moves about said fulcrum; and   (b) spring restoring means for urging said sliding plate into said first position.   
     
     
       7. The garden seeder as recited in claim 6, in which said dispensing foot includes an upright sidewall substantially perpendicular to said resting plate, with said egress hole being through said upright sidewall, and further in which said dispensing foot includes an angled bottom plate having a first end attached to said upright sidewall remote from said resting plate and said angled bottom plate having a second end attached to said resting plate. 
     
     
       8. The garden seeder as recited in claim 4, in which said metering insert is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a first insert plug, said longitudinal hole therethrough having a first transverse cross-sectional area;   (b) a second insert plug, said longitudinal hole therethrough having a second transverse cross-sectional area larger than said first transverse cross-sectional area; and   (c) a third insert plug, said longitudinal hole therethrough having a third transverse cross-sectional area intermediate to said first and said second transverse cross-sectional areas.   
     
     
       9. The garden seeder as recited in claim 8, in which said seed dispensing means additionally comprises: (a) a lever arm pivotally attached to said barrel at a fulcrum for pivotal movement thereabout, said lever arm being attached at a first end to said sliding plate for movement of said sliding plate as said lever arm moves about said fulcrum; and   (b) spring restoring means for urging said sliding plate into said first position.   
     
     
       10. The garden seeder as recited in claim 9, in which said dispensing foot includes an upright sidewall substantially perpendicular to said resting plate, with said egress hole being through said upright sidewall, and further in which said dispensing foot includes an angled bottom plate having a first end attached to said upright sidewall remote from said resting plate and said angled bottom plate having a second end attached to said resting plate. 
     
     
       11. A garden seeder, said garden seeder comprising: (a) an elongated barrel having an upper end and a lower end, said barrel having an internal bore therethrough extending to said lower end of said barrel;   (b) a seed hopper for holding a quantity of seeds, said seed hopper having an interior;   (c) seed dispensing means, interposed between the interior of said seed hopper and said bore, for dispensing a metered volume of seeds from the interior of said hopper into said bore, said seed dispensing means comprising: i. an upper blocking plate spanning said bore, said upper blocking plate having a seed collection hole therethrough for passage of seeds therethrough from the interior of said hopper;   ii. a lower blocking plate spanning said bore, said lower blocking plate having a seed dispensing hole therethrough for passage of seeds therethrough and into said bore, said seed dispensing hole being horizontally offset from said seed collection hole and in complete vertical non-alignment therewith;   iii. a sliding plate sandwiched between said upper blocking plate and said lower blocking plate and secured for slidable movement therebetween, said sliding plate having a seed metering hole therethrough with said seed metering hole having an upper end and having a lower end, with said sliding plate being slidable between: A. a first position, in which said upper end of said seed metering hole is in substantial alignment with said seed collection hole and said lower end of said seed metering hole is blocked by said lower blocking plate, thereby allowing said metered volume of seeds to accumulate within said seed metering hole; and   B. a second position, in which said upper end of said seed metering hole is blocked by said upper blocking plate and said lower end of said seed metering hole is in substantial alignment with said seed dispensing hole, thereby allowing said metered volume of seeds to fall downwardly through said seed dispensing hole into said bore and toward said lower end of said barrel;       (d) a resting plate, secured substantially transversely to said lower end of said barrel, for abutting placement upon the ground, said resting plate having an opening therethrough in alignment with said bore; and   (e) a dispensing foot secured to said resting plate on the underside thereof, said dispensing foot having a chamber therewithin in communication with said bore through said opening, and said dispensing foot having an egress hole therethrough in communication with said chamber within said dispensing foot.   
     
     
       12. The garden seeder as recited in claim 11, in which said dispensing foot includes an upright sidewall substantially perpendicular to said resting plate, with said egress hole being through said upright sidewall, and further in which said dispensing foot includes an angled bottom plate having a first end attached to said upright sidewall remote from said resting plate and said angled bottom plate having a second end attached to said resting plate. 
     
     
       13. The garden seeder as recited in claim 11, in which said resting plate includes a hoe blade portion extending outwardly from said barrel.